The 2020 NHL trade deadline has come and gone and Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman managed to make a couple of trades. Both trades were to his buddy, and former Red Wings GM Ken Holland, who is now with the Edmonton Oilers.
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One of the deals involved Yzerman sending Andreas Athanasiou to the Oilers for a pair of second-round draft picks.
Heading into the deadline, there was speculation that Yzerman may be able to land a first-round pick for Athanasiou, and according to Elliotte Friedman, that is exactly what he tried to get from the Oilers. Unfortunately, for the Red Wings, Holland was not about to give in to his buddy and Yzerman had to settle for a lesser deal.
“Steve Yzerman tried for a first-rounder for Athanasiou, but Ken Holland held firm.”
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Yzerman explained after the deadline passed that other teams were also interested in Athanasiou but he made the deal he felt made the most sense at this time.
“Andreas, several teams had inquired or expressed a serious interest. This one (trade offer) made sense for the Detroit Red Wings in the short term and in the future.
“Ultimately you have to decide who we are going to keep and if we’re going to move guys, we’re not going to move guys for the sake of moving them. Ultimately, the return was two second-round picks, and we felt that was a good value for what we’re trying to do.”
“He’s been (around them) longer than I have, and worked with them,” Yzerman said. “This was a case (where it was) his decision, and does he (Athanasiou) fit for them and that was totally up to Kenny and the Oilers’ staff.”
Nation, do you think Yzerman got strong-armed by Holland or was the deal he got for Athanasiou a good one?
